13th: RINUS VEEKAY No. 21 Bitcoin Racing Team Powered by BitNile Chevrolet
20th: CONOR DALY No. 20 BitNile Chevrolet

NEXT RACE: Hy-VeeDeals.com 250, July 23 (NBC, 4 p.m. ET)

CONOR DALY, NO. 20 BITNILE CHEVROLET

CONOR DALY, No. 20 BitNile Chevrolet, Finished 20th: “Strategically, we made all of the right moves. We had a good start and passed a lot of cars in the first couple of laps. Getting off of the red tires early was a good call and when Rinus and I rotated to first and second, it was nice to do a few laps there and not get swallowed up! It was a good, strong showing for us but obviously track position is super important. We had to pit and had the race had more green flag laps at the end, it would have worked out better for us. But these things happen, we did get to the front, it just didn’t work out for us today.”

OF NOTE: 

• During yesterday’s qualifications, Conor Daly was backed up all the way to the first car to exit the pits. As he was not yet up to speed, Daly was penalized for qualifying interference and lost his two fastest laps. As a result, he would start today’s Honda Indy Toronto from the 25th and last position. 

• Daly started on Firestone’s red Firehawk tires, but an early caution allowed him to duck into the pit lane on Lap 3 for a splash of fuel and the longer-lasting black tires. As most of the field started the event on red tires, Daly cycled forward as they made their first stops. By his second stop on Lap 36, he was up to the 2nd position. 

• The second caution flew on Lap 45. The No. 20 BitNile Chevrolet team elected not to pit, launching Daly back up to 2nd behind his teammate Rinus VeeKay. The Ed Carpenter Racing duo paced the field for nine laps before the next caution on Lap 55. This time, Daly came in for his final stop of the race and rejoined the field in 19th. He would fall one position after the final restart and took the checkered flag in 20th.

RINUS VEEKAY, NO. 21 BITCOIN RACING TEAM POWERED BY BITNILE CHEVROLET

RINUS VEEKAY, No. 21 Bitcoin Racing Team Powered By BitNile Chevrolet, Finished 13th: “I have mixed feelings after today’s race! I feel I drove a pretty solid race with good stints. We were on for a good result, a comfortable Top 10, until the yellows didn’t really go our way and everyone was able to make it on fuel. We worked very hard, but didn’t have an advantage at the end. It was worth the risk since we were coming from the back. I had a few good moves and learned a lot for my first race here in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES. I definitely have a more of a view on what we need when we come back here next year. I am very happy with my own performance, I maximized our strategy and there wasn’t much more in the car! On to the next one.”

OF NOTE: 

• Rinus VeeKay was unable to set a fast lap in qualifying yesterday and as a result, had to start from the 20th position today. He was one of only six drivers to start today’s Honda Indy Toronto on black Firestone Firehawk tires. However, the harder compound black tires took him straight to the front of the field as everyone who started on the softer red tires had to pit. By Lap 25, VeeKay was scored as the leader. 

• VeeKay was able to carry his black tires to Lap 31, when he made his first pit stop. Now on red tires, VeeKay carved his way through the field and raced from 18th to 12th before the second caution on Lap 45. With VeeKay and teammate Conor Daly electing not to pit under the caution, they ran 1-2. 

• The No. 21 Bitcoin Racing Team Powered by BitNile Chevrolet paced the field until Lap 61, when VeeKay made his last pit stop under the final caution. As he was the leader when he stopped, he was able to cycle out of the pit lane in the 13th position. He remained there for the duration of the event and finished seven positions higher than where he started.